BILL NUMBER: AB 2663	CHAPTERED  09/26/00

	CHAPTER   670
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE   SEPTEMBER 26, 2000
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR   SEPTEMBER 24, 2000
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY   AUGUST 22, 2000
	PASSED THE SENATE   AUGUST 18, 2000
	AMENDED IN SENATE   JUNE 27, 2000
	AMENDED IN SENATE   JUNE 19, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   APRIL 25, 2000
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   APRIL 3, 2000

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Members Thomson and Jackson
   (Coauthor:  Assembly Member Wiggins)

                        FEBRUARY 25, 2000

   An act to amend Section 821 of, and to add Article 5 (commencing
with Section 500) to Chapter 3 of Part 1 of Division 1 of, the Food
and Agricultural Code, relating to sustainable agriculture.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2663, Thomson.  Sustainable agriculture.
   Existing law requires the Legislature to provide for a continuing
sound and healthy agriculture in California and to encourage a
productive and profitable agriculture.  Existing law enumerates major
principles of the state's agricultural policy.
   This bill would state that it is the intent of the Legislature
that programs at the University of California relating to sustainable
agriculture practices be adequately funded and incorporated into
appropriate programs of the state and university to maximize the
access of California farmers and ranchers to the information.  This
bill would also request that the Regents of the University of
California fulfill this intent of the Legislature.  This bill would
also include in the principles of the state's agricultural policy,
maximizing the ability of farmers, ranchers, and processors to learn
about practices that will enable them to achieve specified state
agricultural policies.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares the following:
   (a) A growing number of California farmers and ranchers have
adopted, or are seeking to adopt, sustainable farming practices that
enable them to reduce pesticide use, manage pesticide and water use
cost effectively, increase soil fertility, and reduce off-farm
environmental impacts.  California is also home to the nation's
largest number of organic farmers and ranchers, who produce
agricultural products in compliance with the California Organic Foods
Act, and acreage dedicated to certified organic production is
growing rapidly in California.  Additionally, many growers and
commodity groups are seeking ways to market their products based on
consumer recognition of their stewardship activities.
   (b) The State of California and the University of California have
created a number of programs designed to promote research on, and
facilitate adoption of, sustainable agricultural practices.  These
programs take a systems approach to agricultural research management,
emphasizing on-farm work with farmers, including small-scale,
immigrant, and minority farmers, who voluntarily seek to make a
transition to more sustainable agricultural practices.  The programs
recognize that farmers are implementing successful innovative farming
practices, and they support that innovation by applying scientific
analysis to the practices and encouraging their broader dissemination
to other farmers.  The programs emphasize collaborative research and
mutual learning among farmers, pest control advisors, extension
advisers, commodity groups, and affiliated agricultural organizations
to maximize adoption of sustainable agricultural practices by
farmers and others in the agriculture industry.  Sustainable
agricultural programs at the university include research, teaching,
and outreach in the areas of sustainable farming systems,
biologically integrated farming systems, organic agriculture, small
farms, agroecology systems, biointensive integrated pest management,
and biological pest control, and include, but are not limited to, the
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, the Center
for Agroecology and Sustainable Farming Systems, the Centers for
Biological Control, and the Small Farm Center.
   (c) California farmers and ranchers are demonstrating a growing
desire to obtain the information on sustainable agricultural
practices and marketing strategies that these university programs are
designed to provide.  They are looking to the university to
incorporate the programs and the information and practices developed
by these programs into the University of California Cooperative
Extension and other state and university programs designed to assist
California agriculture, so that the technical information and support
to adopt these practices are readily available to California farmers
and ranchers.
  SEC. 2.  Article 5 (commencing with Section 500) is added to
Chapter 3 of Part 1 of Division 1 of the Food and Agricultural Code,
to read:

      Article 5.  Sustainable Agriculture

   500.  Pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 821, it is the intent
of the Legislature that programs at the University of California
designed to promote research on, and facilitate adoption of,
sustainable agricultural practices, including, but not limited to,
research, teaching, and outreach in the areas of sustainable farming
systems, biologically integrated farming systems, organic
agriculture, small farms, agroecology systems, biointensive
integrated pest management, and biological pest control shall be
adequately funded through the annual budget process to ensure the
programs' ongoing ability to respond to the needs of all sectors of
California's agricultural industry.  It is the further intent of the
Legislature that the sustainable agricultural practices, methods, and
materials identified and developed by these programs be incorporated
into appropriate programs of the state and the university to
maximize the access of California farmers and ranchers to the
information needed to adopt and implement these measures.
   501.  Pursuant to Section 500 and subdivision (d) of Section 821,
the Legislature requests that the Regents of the University of
California do both of the following:
   (a) Provide adequate and ongoing funding to programs at the
University of California designed to promote research on, and
facilitate adoption of, sustainable agricultural practices,
including, but not limited to, research, teaching, and outreach in
the areas of sustainable farming systems, biologically integrated
farming systems, organic agriculture, small farms, agroecology
systems, biointensive integrated pest management, and biological pest
control to ensure the programs' ongoing ability to respond to the
needs of all sectors of California's agricultural industry.
   (b) Fully incorporate the sustainable agricultural practices,
methods, and materials identified and developed by the programs
enumerated in this article into all appropriate programs of the
university to ensure that California farmers and ranchers have
maximum access to the information needed to adopt and implement these
measures.
  SEC. 3.  Section 821 of the Food and Agricultural Code is amended
to read:
   821.  As part of promoting and protecting the agricultural
industry of the state and for the protection of public health,
safety, and welfare, the Legislature shall provide for a continuing
sound and healthy agriculture in California and shall encourage a
productive and profitable agriculture.  Major principles of the state'
s agricultural policy shall be all of the following:
   (a) To increase the sale of crops and livestock products produced
by farmers, ranchers, and processors of food and fiber in this state.

   (b) To enhance the potential for domestic and international
marketing of California agricultural products through fostering the
creation of value additions to commodities and the development of new
consumer products.
   (c) To sustain the long-term productivity of the state's farms by
conserving and protecting the soil, water, and air, which are
agriculture's basic resources.
   (d) To maximize the ability of farmers, ranchers, and processors
to learn about and adopt practices that will best enable them to
achieve the policies stated in this section.
